Greg Peterson believes that when you couple an ensemble in full flight with an appreciative audience, there is no place more exciting to be than on the conductor’s podium!
Greg began initial studies in conducting through the Australian Wind Orchestra, and the Jerry Novak Conducting Summer School. Further studies were completed at the Defence Force School of Music with Dr. Barry Bignell as part of the Band Officer Course. In that time, Greg completed masterclasses with Richard Divall AO OBE, and Stephen Williams. Since then, Greg has conducted most bands in the Australian Defence Force, and continues to be engaged as a guest conductor or clinician on a frequent basis.
Currently, Greg is employed as the Officer Commanding/Music Director of the Australian Army Band Kapooka. Other key military appointments include Officer Commanding/Senior Instructor at the Defence Force School of Music, and 2IC/Music Director of the Australian Army Band Adelaide. In the community, Greg enjoyed a successful tenure as Music Director of Australia’s premier gay and lesbian community concert band - the Melbourne Rainbow Band.
His experiences thus far as a conductor enable him to work with a wide range of symphonic wind, brass band and orchestral ensembles. This spectrum includes professional outfits all the way to talented community groups with musicians of varying ages and abilities. As such, recent conducting highlights have included appearances with the Tokyo Sinfonia, the Heidelberg Wind Ensemble, the Royal Australian Air Force Band, the Berlin Sinfonietta, the Adelaide Wind Orchestra, the London Serenata, and the Military Band of Upper Austria.
As a competitor, Greg was successful in advancing to the 2nd Stage of the Warsaw Wind Ensemble Conducting Competition (2021), and the 2nd Round of the Premio Frederick Fennell (2020), but was unable to participate due to COVID-19 travel restrictions.
Greg's commitment to life-long learning has seen him develop his orchestral and wind band conducting skills throughout Australia, Austria, England, Germany, and the United States of America; with organisations such as "The President's Own" United States Marine Band, The Air National Guard "Band of the Midwest," The Juilliard School, The United States Army Band "Pershing's Own," the Eastman Wind Orchestra, and the London Conducting School. Greg has been fortunate to continue his conducting studies with leading educators which include Robert Ryker, Donald Hunsberger, Frank Ticheli, Mark Heron, Frank Battisti, Mark Scatterday, and Colin Metters.
Greg is an advocate for the creation of new Australian works. To date, he has given the world premiere of 11 new works for wind band and orchestra, some of which have enjoyed repeat performances around the world. Further afield, Greg continues to be an active consortium member for the creation of new music, and has actively supported new compositions by Katahj Copley, Michael Markowski, and Giovanni Santos.
At the heart of every concert programme that Greg assembles is the intent for a musical experience that challenges the musicians and rewards the audience with a memorable performance. Where possible, Greg seeks out opportunities to challenge the boundaries of the band medium in every concert. As such, Greg has incorporated interesting effects such as extended techniques for band, electronic sound design elements, props, ethnic solo instruments, dancers, actors, and aircraft technicians.
